Savall's musical training started in the school choir of his native town (1947-55). He later completed his training at the Barcelona Conservatory of Music (1959-65). Afterward, he began his specialisation in early music at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland (1968-70).
In 1974 he formed the ensemble Hespèrion XX (since 2000 as Hespèrion XXI), together with the soprano Montserrat Figueras (his wife), Lorenzo Alpert and Hopkinson Smith. Hespèrion XX favored a style of interpretation characterised by great musical vitality and at the same time, maximum historical accuracy.
In 1987 he returned to Barcelona to found La Capella Reial de Catalunya, a vocal ensemble devoted to the interpretation of music prior to the 18th century.
Finally, in 1989 Savall created Le Concert des Nations, an orchestra that is generally dedicated to the baroque repertoire, but which sometimes also serves as an outlet for music that hails from the classical/romantic repertoire (e.g. Sinfonia a Gran Orquesta by Juan Crisótomo de Arriga).
Savall's discography includes more than 140 recordings. Since 1998 he has released his records with his own label, Alia Vox.
Jordi Savall is also a two-time Grammy nominee, who scored the 1991 Alain Corneau film, Tous les matins du monde (also awarded the César of the French film industry in 1992). The soundtrack, re-released on his own Alia Vox label, has sold more than a million copies worldwide.
Lamento Della Ninfa
Jordi Savall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Recato al mondo il dì,
Ch′una donzella fuora
Del proprio albergo uscì.
Sul pallidetto volto
Scorgeasi il suo dolor,
Spesso gli venia sciolto
Un gran sospir dal cor.
Errava or qua, or là,
I suoi perduti amori
Così piangendo va:
Amor, dicea, e 'l piè,
Mirando il ciel, fermò,
Dove, dov′è la fe'
Che 'l traditor giurò?
Miserella, ah più no, no,
Tanto gel soffrir non può.
Fa che ritorni il mio
Amor com′ei pur fu,
O tu m′ancidi, ch'io
Non mi tormenti più.
Non vo′ più ch'ei sospiri
Se non lontan da me,
No, no che i martiri
Più non darammi affè.
Perché di lui mi struggo,
Tutt′orgoglioso sta,
Che si, che si se 'l fuggo
Ancor mi pregherà?
Se ciglio ha più sereno
Colei che ′l mio non è,
Già non rinchiude in seno
Amor si bella fè.
Né mai sì dolci baci
Da quella bocca avrai,
Nè più soavi, ah taci,
Taci, che troppo il sai.
Sì, tra sdegnosi pianti,
Spargea le voci al ciel;
Così nei cori amanti
Mesce amor fiamma e gel
Lamento Della Ninfa is a sorrowful and melancholic piece told from the perspective of a young woman who has lost her love. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song as the singer is already experiencing heartbreak even before the day begins. The first verse depicts the girl leaving her home with a sad look on her face, and her inner turmoil is revealed through her frequent heavy sighs.
As the song progresses, the girl begins to question her lover's loyalty and wonders if he ever truly loved her. She wishes for his return or for death to take her away from her pain, and she longs for a time when she no longer feels the need to be close to him. The last verse reveals the girl's emotional state as she speaks to the heavens, lamenting her lost love and the emotional turmoil it has caused.
Through the use of vivid imagery and introspective lyrics, the song effectively conveys the pain of heartbreak and the feeling of despair that often accompanies it.
Line by Line Meaning
Non havea Febo ancora
Before the sun had risen
Recato al mondo il dì,
And spread its light on the world,
Ch′una donzella fuora
A young woman left
Del proprio albergo uscì.
Her home.
Sul pallidetto volto
On her pale face
Scorgeasi il suo dolor,
Her pain was evident,
Spesso gli venia sciolto
Frequently, she let
Un gran sospir dal cor.
Out a great sigh from her heart.
Sì calpestando i fiori
She walked aimlessly
Errava or qua, or là,
Treading on flowers,
I suoi perduti amori
Lost in her thoughts of love,
Così piangendo va:
She wept as she walked:
Amor, dicea, e 'l piè,
"Love," she said, stopping in her tracks,
Mirando il ciel, fermò,
Looking up at the sky,
Dove, dov′è la fe'
"Where, oh where is the faithfulness
Che 'l traditor giurò?
That the traitor swore to?"
Miserella, ah più no, no,
"Oh, wretch that I am, no more,
Tanto gel soffrir non può.
I cannot bear this pain any longer.
Fa che ritorni il mio
"Make my love return
Amor com′ei pur fu,
As he once was,
O tu m′ancidi, ch'io
Or kill me,
Non mi tormenti più.
So I won't suffer any more.
Non vo′ più ch'ei sospiri
"I don't want him to sigh
Se non lontan da me,
Unless it's far from me,
No, no che i martiri
No, no more pain
Più non darammi affè.
Will be inflicted on me.
Perché di lui mi struggo,
Why do I yearn for him so,
Tutt′orgoglioso sta,
When he stands so proud and arrogant?
Che si, che si se 'l fuggo
If I flee, will he beg me to stay?
Ancor mi pregherà?
Will he plead with me?
Se ciglio ha più sereno
If another woman has a more peaceful gaze
Colei che ′l mio non è,
Than mine, who loves him so intensely,
Già non rinchiude in seno
Love does not live in her heart as it does in mine.
Amor si bella fè.
She does not have the same passionate kisses from his lips, as I do, alas.
Né mai sì dolci baci
Never will she experience
Da quella bocca avrai,
The sweet kisses that I do.
Nè più soavi, ah taci,
No more tender,” she laments.
Taci, che troppo il sai.
"Be silent, you know it all too well.
Sì, tra sdegnosi pianti,
Weeping bitterly,
Spargea le voci al ciel;
She cries out to the heavens;
Così nei cori amanti
As in the hearts of all lovers,
Mesce amor fiamma e gel
Love mixes fire and ice.
Writer(s): Claudio Monteverdi, Knud Jeppesen, Ottavio Rinuccini
Contributed by Jonathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.